Month: March 2015

At our March meeting we were excited to announce that we are holding two workshops from Irene MacWilliam!

Come and spend an afternoon learning and having fabric-fun in the company of the celebrated patchworker and textile artist Irene MacWilliam, all the way from Belfast! Irene has exhibited all over Ireland, the UK, Europe and America and has won more prizes for her work than there is room here to list and is a sought after teacher. This is likely to be a popular class and places are limited, so secure your place asap!

On June 13th, we’re holding a half day workshop entitled “Japanese Folded Patchwork.”

Various shapes will be explored : squares, diamonds, triangles. These produce double sided units that can be made into decorations, wall-hangings, fabric boxes or full-size quilts. We’ll also look at other origami based patches. This fun class is suitable for all levels of ability.

The class will run after the meeting, in the Sacred Heart Hall on Saturday 13th June, approximately 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Bring a packed lunch. Tea and biscuits will be provided!

Requirements:
• Fabric scissors, paper scissors
• Cardboard for making templates (not plastic). Cereal packets are ideal – as many as you can
• Ruler, pencil, sharpener, rubber, compass (if you have one)
• Crayons or colouring pencils, if you have them
• Rotary cutter and board, if you have them
• FABRIC – at least ¼m each of 3 or 4 cotton fabrics. Wide striped fabric works well. One fabric should be plain e.g. cream calico.
• WADDING – any batting will do, scrap pieces will do or ¼m maximum
• BONDAWEB – off cut pieces, no need to buy especially
• General hand sewing supplies – pins, needles, thread (for tacking and to match fabric), quilting thread, fancy threads. Beads and sequins for decoration, only if you have them
• Please bring your ‘craft iron’, table ironing pad or board and extension lead if you have one
• Bring a digital camera if you have one

Japanese Folded Patchwork workshop – €20

Secure your place with a €10 non-refundable deposit – sign up list at the door at the March, April and May meetings

On Sunday June 14th we’ll hold a full day workshop entitled: “Explore and Create with Your Sewing Machine”

This workshop covers free machine control …. drawing, cut work cobwebs, cord making, perfect circles, sequins by machine and various tricks on how to get the most out of your sewing machine. What about tensions? Mini lectures on care of your machine and on needles and threads. All levels of ability.

The class will run on Sunday 14thth June, in the Sacred Heart Hall, prompt start at 10.00am sharp to approximately 3.30pm. Bring a packed lunch. Tea and biscuits will be provided!

Requirements:

• Zig-zag sewing machine, with all accessories and instruction book. Don’t forget your foot pedal and transformer if required.
• Spare machine needles – size 80 or 90
• Variety of sewing threads, some machine embroidery threads if you have them
• 6” or 8” embroidery hoop – wooden or spring clip (easily purchased)
• Pieces of plain cotton or calico
• Small sharp scissors, pins
• Pencil and notebook
• At least 8 sheets of scrap paper
• Smallish pieces of wadding – an offcut will be fine
• Please bring an extension lead if you have one

Explore and Create with your Sewing Machine – €50 Secure your place with a €25 non-refundable deposit – sign up list at the door at the March, April and May meetings

For more information about Ms. MacWilliam, check out her website here.

Can it be meeting time already? How time flies when you’re enjoying yourself. There is a plethora of really interesting workshops and classes for all of us at the moment. We hope we can compete with a tempting meeting next Saturday 14th March at 10 am in the Sacred Heart Hall. But there is no meeting without you! So see you on…….

SATURDAY 14th MARCH at 10 am.

Meeting

Our SHOP will be Maeve Meany of the Limerick Quilt Centre

Our SPEAKER will be Arlene Shawcross, who will give a talk about her own work and hand stitching and embellishment – leading into her afternoon workshop “Stitch to Enrich”

There will be our usual SHOW AND TELL – please log your quilts with Eilish.

We will have our RAFFLE

Erin will demonstrate the second instalment of the 2015 BLOCK OF THE MONTH

Please Note : at the time of sending this email there is only one place left on our afternoon workshop with Arlene Shawcross. Congrats to those who are signed up. We will be sending out copies of the bring list this week – apologies if you already have one.

Notices and Upcoming Events

Executive : Applications are requested for the posts of International Representative and Crafts Council of Ireland Representative by 31st March to IPS Secretary, PO Box 45, Blackrock, Dublin. Details in the Newsletter.

Hands Across the Border Exhibition, ‘Reflections’. Details and application form in Autumn Newsletter. Note : These need to go up to Dublin by the 21st March so if you have an entry for this bring it along on to the meeting on 14th March.

European Quilt Association Exhibition at Festival of Quilts 2015, “MUSIC… with a touch of red”. Details and application form in the Autumn Newsletter.

April 11th Meeting : Southern Branch AGM. Speaker Sandra Jansen on “Improvisational Piecing”May 9th Meeting : Social MeetingJune 13th Meeting : Irene MacWilliam comes to the Southern Branch! Irene will be our speaker in June and will also be giving not ONE but TWO workshops that weekend. Information and signup sheets will be available at the March meeting.